


Trouble

by cadkitten



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-08
Updated: 2014-04-08
Packaged: 2018-01-18 15:28:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1433512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cadkitten/pseuds/cadkitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Most people were completely oblivious to him, ignoring the random guy on the street, but every once in a while there'd be a flicker of recognition in someone's eyes... and he'd be lying if he said that didn't feel good. Maybe he wasn't the most forefront, perhaps he was no Captain America or an actual alien like Thor was. He didn't turn into a huge green monster that everyone knew enough to fear as much as they revered. And he certainly didn't have a ton of money and a great red and gold suit to fly around in like Tony did. And hell... he wasn't Natasha. But he was <i>someone</i>, one of the Avengers and a person that mattered to the entire world because he'd damn well helped to save it. And on the days that someone actually noticed, that he'd see even just a faint glimmer of something that let him know the person thought, <i>'I know that guy'</i>, it felt damn good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trouble

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elyachan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elyachan/gifts).



> The [necklace](http://37.media.tumblr.com/6ac1d7c93d86b349fe002f596d59400e/tumblr_n0gfvkROKH1qarc93o2_500.jpg) she has in Winter Soldier, do a piece where Clint gives that to her.  
> Song[s]: "Trouble" by Natalia Kills

Clint was certain of one thing above all others: loving a girl was trouble. But that didn't stop his heart from finding a path toward the one person he should have been exclusively forbidden from loving. There'd always been something between them; a certain strained flicker of emotion that hadn't burned out since the very first day they'd stepped into the same room together.

He pushed his hands into the pockets of his black jeans as he walked along the street. Most people were completely oblivious to him, ignoring the random guy on the street, but every once in a while there'd be a flicker of recognition in someone's eyes... and he'd be lying if he said that didn't feel good. Maybe he wasn't the most forefront, perhaps he was no Captain America or an actual alien like Thor was. He didn't turn into a huge green monster that everyone knew enough to fear as much as they revered. And he certainly didn't have a ton of money and a great red and gold suit to fly around in like Tony did. And hell... he wasn't Natasha. But he was _someone_ , one of the Avengers and a person that mattered to the entire world because he'd damn well helped to save it. And on the days that someone actually noticed, that he'd see even just a faint glimmer of something that let him know the person thought, _'I know that guy'_ , it felt damn good.

He turned the corner and stopped in front of a huge white building, the silver lettering of the designer name on the front making him nearly wince at how much this would surely set him back. But it would be worth it, he was sure. He'd seen it in a magazine... the perfect little symbol for Natasha... for him to say his piece and offer her the ability to never have to respond to him with a single word. He'd hand her this and if she felt the same way, she could wear it. If she didn't... well, he'd know he'd wasted a ton of money and his heart would feel like ice, he was sure.

Stepping inside, he made his way quickly to the jewelry store near the huge display window in the front. He didn't bother looking, didn't want to change his mind or panic over the price again. Instead, he waited on the lovely dark-skinned associate to come over to him. When she did, she offered a smile and a plea to help him, and he simply held out the page he'd ripped from a magazine, what he wanted circled in dark red marker. 

The girl - her name tag said Natalie, which amused him more than he could have explained for the time being - looked at the paper and then up at him, her expression slowly changing to one of pure awe. "You're-"

He held up his hand to stop her from actually saying it and then gave a little nod, tucking his hands back into his pockets. "Yeah."

She smiled and then straightened her shoulders, holding her head higher again. "Fourteen, sixteen, or eighteen inch chain, sir?"

"Fourteen should do it," Clint replied quietly, finally glancing down at the case in front of him. Even just a plain pair of silver hoops were nearly a grand. He held back a shudder at how much things in this store were and then tacked on, "In a gift box please... no price tags."

"I'll be right back with that for you." Natalie made her way toward the back room and he shot an odd look after her, but then just sighed and went back to staring at the overpriced items in front of him. He'd looked around for other options, but none had caught him like this one had. It was gorgeous, a tiny silver arrow connected to the chain on both sides. It was perfect and from the moment he'd laid eyes on it, he'd been able to envision it around Natasha's neck and the smile on her face as she let him put it on her. It was this or nothing at all. And if life had taught Clint one thing, nothing was never an option.

The sales associate returned and slid the box across the counter to him. "Will there be anything else today, sir?"

He shook his head and reached back to get his wallet out. Rent would be late this month, he was sure... and he was also certain that Tony would have helped him if he'd told him, but Clint didn't work like that. On his own or he just wouldn't bother. There was no merit to begging money off of others, no matter how filthy rich they were.

She smiled and then pushed a receipt across the top of the counter to him. He picked it up to see how much he owed and stared down at it in slight shock, finding the nearly two thousand dollar price discounted at a full one hundred percent, his total coming out to exactly... zero. He flicked his gaze back up to Natalie and opened his mouth to question it, but she leaned in and breathed out a quick, "Owner told us if any of you ever come in here, we should give you anything you want for free. It's the least this city can do for you all." Straightening up again, she pushed the box a bit closer. "So... seriously, nothing else for you?"

Clint slowly shook his head. "No... thank you, this... this was what I needed." He tucked the receipt into his pocket and then picked up the box. "Maybe... a bag so I don't manage to lose it before I get home?"

She quickly pulled out a small white bag with the silver lettering of the store on it and opened it, tucking the gift box neatly inside and then holding it out to him. "I hope... the gift is well received."

"You and me both," Clint returned before offering another word of thanks and taking the bag, removing himself from the store, all the while in a slight bit of shock. Maybe he'd get something for the others at Christmas here, though he'd make sure to bring enough money with him to cover whatever it was anyway, not making any assumptions. But at least he felt a bit better about the prices on the items if the owner was at least a decent man at heart.

\---

Hours later, Clint found himself opening the door to Natasha, wearing a nice black dress shirt Tony had basically thrown at him one night for some party or whatever he'd insisted Clint go to with him and a pair of dark grey slacks. He'd forgone the tie route, knowing he had a bad tendency to dip them into whatever he was eating and not finding that at all attractive. The only good watch he owned was around his wrist and he'd even gone so far as to use a tiny bit of cologne today.

Stepping back, Clint gestured her in and then closed the door, carefully taking her jacket and hanging it up on the hook beside the door. She gave him a slightly appraising look and then laughed. "You didn't tell me to dress up... now I look like a slob." But the way she smirked at him told she wasn't mad in the least and Clint just shrugged a little. "Felt like I wanted to... not a big deal." It was, but hell if he'd say it was.

He led the way into the dining room where he'd set up a small spread with salad and some grilled chicken breast in apricot sauce. He'd figured light was best, not really knowing Natasha's eating habits and not wanting to somehow insult her before he'd even gotten too far. He'd found over the years that negotiating his way around girls was not necessarily his strong point and a lot of the time he found himself doing things he thought was fine but they thought were terrible.

Settling down, he opened the bottle of champagne and poured them each a glass before studying her. "Thank you for agreeing to come over."

Natasha watched him from the other chair, finally reaching for the flute of bubbling liquid and taking a sip. She put it back down and cleared her throat. "You could have just told me it was a date, Clint."

For a moment, he froze. The icy fingers of fear wrapped around his heart and he nearly didn't stop himself from bolting from his seat to thrust her gift at her and just hope for the best. But he knew better. Clint Barton was not a man of impulses... and he really shouldn't have been afraid of anything she said either, but apparently that usual rule did not apply to Natasha.

Finally, he shrugged. "Didn't think you'd come if you thought that... so... friends for dinner sounded better."

She gave him an amused smirk and shook her head, clucking her tongue lightly. "Agent Barton... this is so very against S.H.I.E.L.D. rules you know."

"I haven't done a single thing against the rules," he pointed out, picking up his fork and knife, cutting up his chicken. "Friends... for dinner, Nat... that's what this is, right?"

"Yeah, sure it is." But she didn't argue, picking up her fork and starting in on her salad.

The rest of the meal was actually spent in complete silence, the clink of their utensils as they ate the only sound in the room. Once they were done, Clint got up and cleared away the dishes, pouring the rest of the champagne into her glass and then tossing the bottle. "I still think it's ridiculous that glass isn't part of the pickup for the recycling here." He turned around and almost walked right into Natasha, as she'd come up behind him and leaned herself in the doorway. "Er..."

"You know something?"

"What?" Clint swallowed against the sudden lump in his throat. This was stupid. Why was he so worked up over it? If she turned him down, then she did. He wasn't out anything for his effort after all. Shouldn't that have made it easier on him?

"You're actually really adorable when you're nervous."

His eyes flicked up to meet hers. "Only then?"

"Nah... not only then. Just a little more."

Clint reached over onto the tiny table, under the wall phone that hadn't worked in years, and picked up the bag, holding it out to her. "Open this and... don't say a word, just let me talk, okay?"

Her slim fingers took the bag from him as she nodded. "Yeah." With that, she dipped her hand inside and extracted the small white box, the fluffy silver bow making her smile somehow. Once she had it open, the necklace shimmering up at her from the black velvet inside the box, Clint took his chances.

"There's always been something between us, since the day we met. But lately... it's gotten stronger and I can't deny it anymore. These last few months have made me realize a lot of things... helping Tony deal with some of his own crisis..." he shook his head a little, "a lifetime is a finite thing and when you've got a clear shot, you should always take it." His eyes flickered up to hers, watching the hint of amusement slide through them at the use of the pun, given his current profession. "So wear it if you think this," he gestured between them, "could work. And if not, then just... don't." He took a step back and murmured, "Ball's in your court."

"I don't play fair, Clint. The ball's always in my court." She extracted the necklace from the box and gingerly fingered the arrow, a tiny smile playing over her lips. "It tells everything without saying a word, doesn't it?"

Clint gave a single bob of his head and then pushed his hands into his pockets, holding back the temptation to shrug it all off.

"Well... are you gonna get over here and let me try it on or not?" She laughed and he looked up at her, every ounce on uneasiness fading from him as he watched her hold it out toward him.

Within an instant, he reached for the necklace and then moved around behind her, fastening it and making sure her hair wasn't tangled up in it. His hands rested on her shoulders for a moment as he closed his eyes and steadied himself, almost afraid to believe she'd decided so quickly. Coming back around, he let one hand trail over her shoulders and then gently squeezed her bicep. "Does this mean-"

She pressed her finger to his lips and grinned at him. "Doesn't need words... you have my answer." Pulling him in, their lips met and she kissed him hard, leaving him nearly breathless by the time they parted. Turning to walk back into the dining room, she glanced back over her shoulder. "You know I'm trouble, don't you, Agent Barton?"

Clint huffed out a laugh. "Best mistake I'll ever make, Nat."

"I think... that line would backfire with any other girl but me." She collapsed onto his couch and propped her legs up over the side, crossing them at the ankles. "But yeah... you're damn right about that."


End file.
